“Layer on the recession and you had a dining environment that seemed specifıcally targeted at the young and cash-strapped. While we had to give up some of the “fancy” stuff we couldn’t really drain our bank accounts for anymore (concerts, plane tickets, trendy clothes), there was this other culture thing—eating—that we had to do a few times a day, anyway. And these restaurants—with their tatted-up chefs barking orders over a Zeppelin Pandora station—acted as proxies for the culturally cool things we couldn’t afford.”

Please try to ignore the photo of the Vietnamese pork sandwich on the right and concentrate in the picture above. Although it is explicit enough about what the theme of this post is, I would start with this.

A few days ago I read this article (not sure how I came across with it) and I can say that if, on the one hand, I totally saw myself in the content stated, on the other hand, I felt some shame for being so. Daniel Riley, a 28 year old American male, living in NYC, gives us his testimony about how an economic crisis gave birth to this phenomenon where restaurants have taken the place of music, film, theater, fashion, and became central topic of discussion among his generation.

“Layer on the recession and you had a dining environment that seemed specifıcally targeted at the young and cash-strapped. While we had to give up some of the “fancy” stuff we couldn’t really drain our bank accounts for anymore (concerts, plane tickets, trendy clothes), there was this other culture thing—eating—that we had to do a few times a day, anyway. And these restaurants—with their tatted-up chefs barking orders over a Zeppelin Pandora station—acted as proxies for the culturally cool things we couldn’t afford.”

Like Daniel, I am also deeply guilty of, during dinner, talking about other good restaurants where I dined or where I intend to have dinner. And I declare myself also deeply guilty of propagating Food Porn in the social networks and Instagramming delicious dishes that I occasionally taste.

I’m not alone, of course, and I think I’m actually quite mild and do not bother anyone with my foodstagramming. Apparently in NYC this trend was so out of control that triggered a reaction from restaurants that have banned their clients from instagramming the food (here and here).

About this reaction from the restaurants I have mixed feelings. On one hand I realize that there may be highly reprehensible attitudes (after all, a customer, standing up from his chair, to geld a top view of his plate is, obviously, absurd behavior that bothers the others), secondly, to spread these pictures of dishes from restaurants through social networks is also a form of free advertising, therefore a positive thing for the restaurants (what is wrong is the excessive behavior and not instagramming a juicy burger or plate of clams and perhaps the thing can be resolved by calling the mad person on the chair to reason). But reason seems to be running short… so who am I to condemn the excessive responses?

Apparently, at some restaurants, the policy is “you can shoot but without flash” and it seems that the food is being dangerously confused with art (of course here the flash is prohibited not to disturb the neighbors at the next table and… this is also the reason why today, in any concert, play or dance performance a spectator who tries to register such a moment is immediately chased by the staff…).

What is the reason for this obsessive behavior with food? Is it the lack of other common cultural denominator as Daniel stated? Is it the excessive need to share every moment of our lives in the social networks? Is it the natural reaction resulting from this flood of television programming focused on food? After all, if the Junior Masterchef Australia any 10 year old mastered the gastronomic vocabulary, why should we not also be able to provide valid opinions that cross terms like crunchy texture, aroma, etc. and feel entitled to give our review, spreading positive images of exquisite dishes. Or is it simply that, as we like to eat, we are pleased to share with others what gave us some pleasure? Or is it just because, sometimes, a meal is a beautiful composition that we want to share?

Whatever the reason, I will try to reduce the sharing of #Foodporn in my social media. What about you?